The Inclusive City

Thank you for making The Inclusive City such a success!

On May 1st and 2nd, thought leaders, academics, private sector innovators, policy makers, students, and artists, gathered for a jam-packed two days at Tufts University’s Inclusive City Conference. The “unconference” combined traditional panels and lectures with unconventional presentations, debates, and rapid prototyping, which sparked many new connections, conversations, and concepts.

The tone of Day 1 was set with a lively Oxford-style debate on the proposition that “The road to the Inclusive City runs through City Hall, rather than the slums and bazaars." The audience voted for the slums and bazaars, but that didn't stop anyone from enjoying former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino's discussion with Benjamin Barber on the reality of leading an innovative city. Keynote speaker Ed Glaeser captivated the audience with "The Promise of the City" in the morning, while deep dives into Medellín, Addis Ababa, and Mumbai brought that promise home with key examples of inclusions in practice.

Day 2 took the energy and insights from Day 1 and addressed some of the world's most pressing urban issues. Guided by facilitators from frog design and Continuum, six teams tackled cross-cutting issues over the day-long brainstorming session. Sharpies and sticky notes flew as fast as ideas, culminating in final pitches of out-of-the-box ideas directly inspired by the day’s conversations.

Be on the lookout for the official conference report to learn more of the insights gleaned over the two-day event.

We look forward to seeing you at next year’s Inclusion Forum!

Triumph, Reflection, Innovation

Built on IBGC research, collaboration, and insights gleaned from the forum, The Inclusive City: Triumph, Reflection, Innovation, looks not just at the event but at issues and questions raised through it that drive scholars, practitioners, politicians, and others in the field every day.